Changing default MAXDOP in Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance
To improve customer workload performance and reduce unnecessary resource utilization, the default MAXDOP setting for new databases and managed instances in Azure SQL is changing from the previous default of 0 (unlimited) to 8.Announcing Azure SQL Database ledger
Bringing tamper-evidence capabilities to your database, the ledger feature for Azure SQL Database provides cryptographic that your data has not been maliciously altered. This article explains Azure SQL Database ledger and how it can help digitize trusting your data.Azure SQL Database Hyperscale – lower, simplified pricing!
Azure is a cloud platform designed to simplify building powerful and economical modern applications. Azure SQL Database Hyperscale is a leading relational database service offering for cloud-born applications. In addition to a rock-solid relational database foundation, Hyperscale offers several exciting modern developer features like REST and GraphQL endpoints, JSON data support, external API invocation. Hyperscale was built leveraging core cloud capabilities and offers auto-scaling, multi-tiered high performance storage, independently scalable compute, read scale-out, predictable, and quick operations like database copy, and much more! We want to ensure that all customers use Hyperscale for their application – no matter what size. Today, we're excited to announce changes to the way Hyperscale is priced. In most cases, you will see significantly lower costs – allowing you to invest the resultant savings in the resources you need to build AI-ready applications, increase the resiliency of your databases, and many other benefits unique to Hyperscale. Let’s take a deeper look at this exciting announcement! What is changing? We are reducing the price of compute by $0.10 USD per vCore per hour (some exceptions are listed later in this post), which in many cases can be up to 35% less than the pre-announcement (“current rate”) compute cost. The storage cost for Hyperscale has also been aligned with the market for developer databases and the pricing for other Azure Database offerings, while not charging for I/O operations. The new pricing will take effect and be displayed on the Azure SQL Database pricing page and Azure pricing calculator on December 15th. Examples of the pricing change Here are some examples to illustrate how the new pricing works as compared to the existing pricing. Note that all costs are estimated and assume a 730 hour month. Case 1: Hyperscale single DB with 6-vCore provisioned compute, 0 HA replica and 50 GB of allocated storage, East US Existing pricing New pricing Compute cost USD 1237.85 USD 800.05 Storage cost USD 5.0 USD 12.5 Total cost USD 1242.9 USD 812.55, saving 35% Case 2: Hyperscale single DB with 12-vCore provisioned compute, 1 HA replica and 200 GB of allocated storage, East US Existing pricing New pricing Compute cost USD 4075.9 USD 3200.20 Storage cost USD 20.0 USD 50.0 Total cost USD 4095.9 USD 3250.20, saving 21% Case 3: Hyperscale single DB with 32-vCore provisioned compute, 1 HA replica and 18 TB of allocated storage, East US Existing pricing New pricing Compute cost USD 10869.08 USD 8533.88 Storage cost USD 1,843.20 USD 4,608.00 Total cost USD 12712.28 USD 13141.88, 3% higher Conclusion In conclusion, these pricing changes for Hyperscale are aligned with our mission to provide the best features, with the highest performance and scalability, at a great price for all our customers. Our team is here to assist with any questions you may have about these changes. Please leave a comment on this blog and we’ll be happy to get back to you. Alternatively, you can also email us at sqlhsfeedback AT microsoft DOT com. We are eager to hear from you all! Frequently Asked Questions When does the change take effect, and what does it impact? The pricing changes take effect on December 15 th , 2023 at 00:00 hours UTC. The changes will apply to the following resources created on or after Dec 15 th , 2023. Any newly created Hyperscale single provisioned compute databases. Any (existing or new) Hyperscale single serverless databases (currently in preview). Any (existing or new) Hyperscale elastic pools (currently in preview). Any newly created Hyperscale elastic pooled databases (currently in preview). What happens to my existing Hyperscale resources? To start with, nothing changes till December 15 th , 2023. Here’s what will happen starting December 15 th , 2023: To provide a seamless experience without any impact on existing workloads, all existing Hyperscale single databases with provisioned compute created before December 15 th , 2023, will continue to be billed at the existing rates, for a period of up to 3 years (ending December 14 th , 2026). Customers will receive further notice of the pricing change to their Hyperscale databases in advance of December 14 th , 2026. All existing Hyperscale single databases with serverless compute (currently in preview) will automatically switch to the new pricing starting December 15 th , 2023. All existing Hyperscale elastic pools (currently in preview) will automatically switch to the new pricing starting December 15 th , 2023. What if I update / change a database to a different deployment option? Hyperscale allows seamless, rapid scaling of the database compute. You can also scale a Hyperscale database to move from provisioned compute to serverless compute (or the other way around). You can add an existing Hyperscale database to an elastic pool or move an elastic pooled database out of the elastic pool to a single database. Here’s how your costs are impacted if you perform any of these changes on or after December 15 th , 2023: Change Impact Hyperscale (serverless single, or elastic pooled) database is changed to a Hyperscale single database with provisioned compute. The final cost of the database will be based on when the database was created. If the database was created prior to December 15 th , 2023, it will be billed as per the existing pricing. If the database was created on or after December 15 th , 2023, it will be billed as per the new pricing. Hyperscale database is changed to a Hyperscale single database with serverless compute. The database will be billed with the new pricing. Hyperscale database is added to an elastic pool on or after December 15 th. The database’s storage will be charged as per the “new” storage pricing. There is no separate compute cost for a database in an elastic pool. Hyperscale single database with provisioned compute is scaled up, or down, or has high-availability replicas added or removed, or its hardware family is changed. The pricing model remains as it was before the scaling operation. The actual costs for compute resources will change based on the scaling operation (for example, they will increase if the database is scaled up, or replicas added). Do note that if you are using reserved capacity ("reservations") and are changing the hardware family, you will need to exchange those reservations to align to the new hardware family. The costs of storage resources associated with the single database will not change due to the scaling operation itself. Any copies of a Hyperscale database created as a Hyperscale single database, on or after December 15 th , 2023. The database copies will use the new pricing, regardless of when the original database was created. Any new single database created via. restore, or geo-replication operations, on or after December 15 th , 2023. The new database will use the new pricing, regardless of when the original database was created. Any non-Hyperscale database is updated to Hyperscale on or after December 15 th , 2023. The new database will use the new pricing, regardless of when it was originally created. See the summarized tables below for a quick reference. Single databases Hyperscale single databases with provisioned compute Hyperscale single databases with serverless compute Timeline: before December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: on or after December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: before December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: on or after December 15 th , 2023 Database was created or migrated to Hyperscale before December 15th, 2023 Database created or migrated to Hyperscale after December 15th, 2023 Database was created or migrated to Hyperscale before December 15th, 2023 Database created or migrated to Hyperscale after December 15th, 2023 Compute Existing provisioned compute price. Existing provisioned compute price. New provisioned compute price. Existing serverless compute price. New serverless compute price. New serverless compute price. Storage Existing storage prices. Existing storage prices. New storage prices. Existing storage prices. New storage prices. New storage prices. Elastic pools and pooled databases Hyperscale elastic pools Hyperscale elastic pooled databases Timeline: before December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: on or after December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: before December 15 th , 2023 Timeline: on or after December 15 th , 2023 Elastic pool was created before December 15th, 2023 Elastic pool created after December 15th, 2023 Database was created or migrated to Hyperscale before December 15th, 2023 Database created or migrated to Hyperscale after December 15th, 2023 Compute Existing provisioned compute price. New provisioned compute price. New provisioned compute price. N/A (charged per elastic pool) Storage N/A – storage is charged per database. Existing storage prices. New storage prices. New storage prices. Can I continue to use reservations for Hyperscale? With reservations, you make a commitment to use SQL Database for a period of one or three years to get a significant discount on the compute (vCores) costs. There are no changes to the Compute (vCores) pricing, and you can continue to use reserved capacity (“reservations”) for Hyperscale single databases with provisioned compute and Hyperscale elastic pools. How can I move my existing Hyperscale databases to the new pricing? Currently, there is no in-built support to switch pricing for existing Hyperscale databases. However, you can consider one of the redeployment methods (database copy, point-in-time restore, or geo-replication) to create a new “copy” of the existing Hyperscale database. The newly created “copy” of the database will be billed the new pricing. If you do decide to go down this path, do consider creating the new database with zone redundancy, as described here. Do you have any projections of likely costs when converting non-Hyperscale DBs to Hyperscale? We recommend you use the Azure pricing calculator to compare base cost for compute and storage. However, costs of backups can vary depending on the nature of the workload and backup retention settings configured. Databases in the (DTU) Basic, Standard and Premium service tiers include backup in the base cost. When converting such databases to Hyperscale, keep in mind that backups in Hyperscale can be a significant factor in overall cost. It is only possible to determine this after sufficient testing with realistic workloads on Hyperscale and we strongly recommend you do such testing before converting DTU service tier databases to Hyperscale. Does the reduction in compute price apply to all subscription offer types? In the case of dev/test subscriptions and related offer types including Enterprise dev/test, where you were already not paying for license costs, there will not be a further reduction in the price of compute. For such subscriptions, the storage costs for Hyperscale resources will still be based on the guidelines in the “When does the change take effect, and what does it impact?” and “What happens to my existing Hyperscale resources” sections in this blog post. Can I still use Azure Hybrid Benefit for Hyperscale? The change in price per vCore is done by eliminating the software license fee for Hyperscale resources. Hence, Azure Hybrid Benefit no longer applies to the Hyperscale tier, except for Hyperscale single databases with provisioned compute which were created prior to December 15, 2023. Even for those older databases, Azure Hybrid Benefit can only be used till December 14, 2026. Note that specifying values of BasePrice or LicenseIncluded for the LicenseType parameter in APIs / SDKs / PowerShell / CLI, is only relevant for Hyperscale single databases with provisioned compute which were created prior to December 15, 2023. These values are effectively ignored for all other types of Hyperscale resources. Current limitations and known issues Consider a database which was created originally as a non-Hyperscale database prior to Dec 15th, 2023. If this database is then migrated to Hyperscale on or after Dec 15th, 2023, the Cost Summary section of the Azure portal will incorrectly show the "old pricing" for this database. The Cost Summary section in the Azure portal is only intended to be an estimate. We recommend you rely on the Cost Management section in the Azure portal to review actual costs. Azure portal cost summary view in greater China regions does not show the updated pricing information accurately. This is only a display issue and does not impact the billing in any way. Please refer to the pricing calculator or the pricing page for accurate pricing information.Azure Data Studio Retirement
We’re announcing the upcoming retirement of Azure Data Studio (ADS) on February 6, 2025, as we focus on delivering a modern, streamlined SQL development experience. ADS will remain supported until February 28, 2026, giving developers ample time to transition. This decision aligns with our commitment to simplifying SQL development by consolidating efforts on Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the MSSQL extension, a powerful and versatile tool designed for modern developers. Why Retire Azure Data Studio? Azure Data Studio has been an essential tool for SQL developers, but evolving developer needs and the rise of more versatile platforms like VS Code have made it the right time to transition. Here’s why: Focus on innovation VS Code, widely adopted across the developer community, provides a robust platform for delivering advanced features like cutting-edge schema management and improved query execution. Streamlined tools Consolidating SQL development on VS Code eliminates duplication, reduces engineering maintenance overhead, and accelerates feature delivery, ensuring developers have access to the latest innovations. Why Transition to Visual Studio Code? VS Code is the #1 developer tool, trusted by millions worldwide. It is a modern, versatile platform that meets the evolving demands of SQL and application developers. By transitioning, you gain access to cutting-edge tools, seamless workflows, and an expansive ecosystem designed to enhance productivity and innovation. We’re committed to meeting developers where they are, providing a modern SQL development experience within VS Code. Here’s how: Modern development environment VS Code is a lightweight, extensible, and community-supported code editor trusted by millions of developers. It provides: Regular updates. An active extension marketplace. A seamless cross-platform experience for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Comprehensive SQL features With the MSSQL extension in VS Code, you can: Execute queries faster with filtering, sorting, and export options for JSON, Excel, and CSV. Manage schemas visually with Table Designer, Object Explorer, and support for keys, indexes, and constraints. Connect to SQL Server, Azure SQL (all offerings), and SQL database in Fabric using an improved Connection Dialog. Streamline development with scripting, object modifications, and a unified SQL experience. Optimize performance with an enhanced Query Results Pane and execution plans. Integrate with DevOps and CI/CD pipelines using SQL Database Projects. Stay tuned for upcoming features—we’re continuously building new experiences based on feedback from the community. Make sure to follow the MSSQL repository on GitHub to stay updated and contribute to the project! Streamlined workflow VS Code supports cloud-native development, real-time collaboration, and thousands of extensions to enhance your workflows. Transitioning to Visual Studio Code: What You Need to Know We understand that transitioning tools can raise concerns, but moving from Azure Data Studio (ADS) to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the MSSQL extension is designed to be straightforward and hassle-free. Here’s why you can feel confident about this transition: No Loss of Functionality If you use ADS to connect to Azure SQL databases, SQL Server, or SQL database in Fabric, you’ll find that the MSSQL extension supports these scenarios seamlessly. Your database projects, queries, and scripts created in ADS are fully compatible with VS Code and can be opened without additional migration steps. Familiar features, enhanced experience VS Code provides advanced tools like improved query execution, modern schema management, and CI/CD integration. Additionally, alternative tools and extensions are available to replace ADS capabilities like SQL Server Agent and Schema Compare. Cross-Platform and extensible Like ADS, VS Code runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring a consistent experience across operating systems. Its extensibility allows you to adapt it to your workflow with thousands of extensions. If you have further questions or need detailed guidance, visit the ADS Retirement page. The page includes step-by-step instructions, recommended alternatives, and additional resources. Continued Support With the Azure Data Studio retirement, we’re committed to supporting you during this transition: Documentation: Find detailed guides, tutorials, and FAQs on the ADS Retirement page. Community Support: Engage with the active Visual Studio Code community for tips and solutions. You can also explore forums like Stack Overflow. GitHub Issues: If you encounter any issues, submit a request or report bugs on the MSSQL extension’s GitHub repository. Microsoft Support: For critical issues, reach out to Microsoft Support directly through your account. Transitioning to VS Code opens the door to a more modern and versatile SQL development experience. We encourage you to explore the new possibilities and start your journey today! Conclusion Azure Data Studio has served the SQL community well,but the Azure Data Studio retirement marks an opportunity to embrace the modern capabilities of Visual Studio Code. Transitioning now ensures you’re equipped with cutting-edge tools and a future-ready platform to enhance your SQL development experience. For a detailed guide on ADS retirement , visit aka.ms/ads-retirement. To get started with the MSSQL extension, check out the official documentation. We’re excited to see what you build with VS Code!
